Chapter 103
It had been exactly two days when the dwarves arrived. No wonder the sound of hammers pounding on anvils hadn’t stopped for the past two days—their eyes were bloodshot from exhaustion.
Among them, Brinzar, the dwarf who had left a letter, stepped forward. In his hands, he carefully held an object covered with cloth.
“Please accept this.”
Brinzar extended his hands cautiously.
“This is a masterpiece forged with our very souls. I can confidently say it is the finest sword in existence.”
When it came to equipment crafting, dwarves never indulged in either arrogance or false modesty. His words naturally raised my expectations.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
I took the object, lifted the cloth, and revealed a jet-black scabbard. Its dark, secretive sheen was reminiscent of the night sky. Even I, who had little interest in swords, felt it was beautiful.
“Here—this is yours.”
I handed the sword to Allen, who was standing nearby.
In the past, Allen would have been excited beyond measure, but this time he took the sword with no change in expression. Without hesitation, he drew it from the scabbard. Unlike the black sheath, the blade itself had a faint silver hue.
Allen stared intently at his new sword.
Though he didn’t show it outwardly, the slight twitch of his eyebrows betrayed his delight.
“How is it? Do you like it?”
“…Yeah.”
“That’s a relief.”
I had been worried because he seemed so dispirited after his purified demon sword had broken years ago.
I crossed my arms and watched as Allen lightly swung the sword.
“To use such a precious Dragon Heart to make just one sword… it’s unthinkable. If only I could have refined it into a gem and placed it in my staff…”
Heinrich, floating lazily in the air, murmured regretfully. In truth, he had been like this ever since I said the corrupted Dragon Heart would be purified and used as the sword’s material.
The Dragon Heart contained immense magical power coveted by all mages, so Heinrich’s disappointment was understandable.
If Allen had become the rightful owner of the holy sword, as he had in the game, I wouldn’t have hesitated to hand the Dragon Heart over to him.
“Isn’t it about time you let go of your attachment?” I said.
“That’s a harsh thing to say to me.”
“What can I do? It’s already happened.”
I gestured toward Allen. Perhaps he had already adapted after a few swings, because he slid the sword smoothly back into the scabbard with his thumb guiding it.
“It’s unfortunate that it can’t be extracted now.”
Heinrich nodded in agreement, clearly understanding.
“Whoever made this, the finish is exquisite.”
Brinzar and the other dwarves watched Allen strap the scabbard to his waist with awe. I approached Brinzar.
“Thank you for crafting such a wonderful sword.”
Why was he like this?
Even though I had only expressed gratitude, Brinzar began twisting his mustache with his index finger.
“Ah, of course, our craftsmanship played a part, but the credit goes mostly to the noble who provided the precious materials.”
Who deserved more credit was irrelevant.
I carefully explained how the dwarves could safely return to the central continent, including instructions on passing through the Wall of Light. It was a simple plan: Dan would shadow Brinzar, and if they encountered monsters along the way, Dan would appear to assist them.
“Dan, is that okay?”
“No problem.”
“Then I’ll leave it to you.”
“Anything for the lady,” Dan replied with a faint smile.
We had already cleared most of the monsters along the path, so the dwarves were unlikely to encounter any.
‘Still, better safe than sorry.’
It wouldn’t hurt to have insurance.
“Thank you very much. And please, do visit Mürkheim sometime.”
Mürkheim was the homeland of the dwarves. I had only read about it in the lorebook and had never visited. In the game, there had never been a situation requiring a blacksmith.
“For nobles like you, we would provide any equipment for free.”
If any knights or mercenaries had heard this, they would have been astounded. Of course, I had no intention of returning to the central continent.
“Yes.”
Without voicing that thought, I shook Brinzar’s extended hand. The dwarves each expressed their thanks before setting off toward the Wall of Light.
Once about forty dwarves left, Stigma’s nest became quiet almost immediately.
With no reason to stay in the damp cave, we also emerged.
I had thought I was accustomed to the vast Ma Continent from the game, but when I landed here with Allen, I realized how different it truly was.
Even the grand Ma Continent on a smartphone screen paled in comparison to seeing it in person.
Though it was morning, the sun was not visible due to the continent’s peculiar conditions. Only a crimson moon hung in the dark sky.
Why was that?
I had always felt that the red moon seemed to be watching me. I tried to dismiss the uneasy feeling, thinking I was just being overly sensitive.
In truth, it didn’t matter who was watching. My tasks were already determined.
‘First, I have to defeat all the demons.’
Only then could I claim the special reward from Solomon’s Mirror. After that, I would take down the legion commanders, and finally, the Demon King.
The only problem with this plan was that I still didn’t know the exact conditions for achieving the happy ending. Naturally, I hadn’t found even the smallest clue so far.
Still, I had no intention of changing my plan.
Like discovering a hidden quest never encountered in the game, I believed that if I did my best in the given circumstances, some answer would emerge.
I stretched my back and prepared. It was time to start sealing the souls of the demons.
At the heart of Ma Continent, in the gloomy Demon King’s Castle, five legion commanders sat around a round table. It was extremely rare for them to gather in one place.
News of Stigma, the demon dragon who had been dispatched to invade the Wall of Light under the Demon King’s command, returning in ashes, reached them only a month later. This unprecedented event prompted the commanders to gather at the castle by order of the Demon King.
“After boasting and marching out, he dies a pathetic death. That stupid reptile.”
Vic Lava, the commander of extreme poison, openly mocked Stigma. As he chuckled, his enormous caterpillar-like form expanded and contracted in a grotesque display.
Ran, the first Dark Elf and commander of domination, glared at Vic Lava, frowning. Though corrupted by demonic energy, he retained much of his elven nature and temperament.
To Ran, the hideous caterpillar was nothing short of repulsive.
“Breathing the same air as a creature as disgusting as you is intolerable. Shut up before I pierce every segment of you.”
“Abandoned by your kin and begging for life from the Demon King… pathetic mutant.”
“You…!”
Ran leapt from his seat, releasing his demonic energy. But Vic Lava merely chuckled as if to say, Try it if you dare.
“Enough.”
The commander of the shadows spoke, halting their bickering. His deep, icy voice was both cold as frost and heavy as a mountain, freezing the feet of the two commanders. He alone had the privilege of audience with the Demon King and was tacitly the strongest among the commanders.
“If you intend to make a fuss here, in the presence of the great Demon King, I will personally guide you to the afterlife. Understood? Sit down, Ran. And Vic Lava, do not provoke our allies unnecessarily. This is your final warning.”
Neither of them dared move a muscle as he continued.
“Stigma is an ancient demon dragon. Even I did not anticipate he would perish so abruptly. This signifies the arrival of a hero and a saint in this era.”
Silence fell over the round table.
The announcement carried enormous weight. The appearance of a hero and a saint was a serious threat to commanders, whose very nature was demonic.
The shadow commander continued:
“The reason for gathering all legion commanders today is to convey the Demon King’s will. Other humans are irrelevant, but the saint must be captured alive. She only needs to be breathing. This is the Demon King’s command.”
If the Demon King said so, it implied a reward corresponding to the task. Each commander licked their lips at the thought, albeit for different reasons.
The shadow commander pointed toward the Wall of Light.
“Go. Bring the saint back by any means necessary. The Demon King desires nothing else.”
The commanders exchanged quick glances and promptly departed from the castle to carry out the order.
